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Boy, 10, emerges from two-month coma after hit-and-run

Louie Szabo, left, Hillary Szabo and her daughter, Haedyn Hartwick, are selling wristbands to help raise money to aid in the care of Tyler Brooks-Szabo, the 10-year-old boy injured in a hit and run in east London, Ont. in October. (CRAIG GLOVER/QMI Agency)

LONDON, Ont. -- A boy critically injured in a hit-and-run crash has begun to emerge from a two-month coma.

Tyler Brooks-Szabo, 10, has opened his eyes.

"It's amazing. It really is a miracle," said Tyler's stepmother, Hillary Szabo. "Going through such a traumatic experience to, only in a couple of months, being able to open your eyes -- it's huge progress."

Tyler's father, Louie, his stepmother and his stepsister Haedyn visited him in hospital on Christmas Day.

They say the youngster known for his love of basketball and soccer has a long road ahead of him.

He's unable to speak, eat or get out of bed, and it's unknown when he'll be able to return home. He can't yet communicate, and the crash left him with severe head injuries and a cracked pelvis.

The Grade 4 pupil was with two friends returning from a trip to a nearby store to pick up soft drinks before settling in to watch a movie when a vehicle struck him, then left the scene.

Tyler was riding on the sidewalk, as is allowed by local bylaw, and was wearing his helmet.

His family has started raising money by selling bracelets and through a separate trust fund, in the expectation there will be extra expenses associated with his care once he leaves hospital.

Toby Van Lieshout, 35, of Ingersoll, Ont., is charged with leaving a crash scene, drug possession, driving with a suspended licence, careless driving and using a licence plate not authorized for the vehicle.

Van Lieshout is set to plead guilty on Jan. 31.

His wife, Rebecca Smith, 39, faces charges of accessory after the fact of an offence, assaulting police, drug possession, allowing an unlicensed person to drive her vehicle and driving without insurance.

Donations to Tyler's trust fund can be made at any TD Canada Trust, branch number 2932 and account number 6313211. The name of the trust is Bethany Joyce and Michael Wiggins in trust for Tyler Brooks.